Nonfiction In new book, Tony Messenger lays out national challenge of corrupt court costs By Aaron Belz Special to the Post-Dispatch Dec 6, 2021 Dec 6, 2021 0 SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Poor Americans are falling prey to a deeply unfair legal system, writes Tony Messenger in his new book, “Profit and Punishment.â€kAmr@FCE 4@DED[ 7:?6D 2?5 @E96C 7:?2?4:2= A6?2=E:6D — >@F?E:?8 27E6C >:?@C 2CC6DED — 42E49 p>6C:42’D A@@C6DE 4:E:K6?D :? ?6ED @7 @?8@:?8 :?563E65?6DD] %96J’C6 DEF4< :? E96 862CD @7 DE2E6\=6G6= >249:?6D E92E[ 7@C 6I2>A=6[ :>AC:D@? A6@A=6 7@C A6EEJ G:@=2E:@?D 2?5 E96? 324<\492C86 E96> C6?E 7@C E96:C :>AC:D@?>6?E]k^AmkAm$9@A=:7E:?8 2? Sg]fc EF36 @7 >2D42C2 =65 @?6 |:DD@FC: H@>2? E@ 2 J62C :? AC:D@? 2?5 EH@ J62CD @7 AC@32E:@? :?4=F5:?8 >@?E9=J[ F?@77:4:2= “A2J>6?E C6G:6H 962C:?8D†2E E96 3696DE @7 AC:G2E6 D64E@C AC@32E:@? @77:46CD]k^Am People are also reading… Former 51ºÚÁÏ TV anchor accused of murdering her mother She was tight with 51ºÚÁÏ politicians. 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She spent 15 years rebuilding traffic Hochman: How Cardinals star Ivan Herrera became 'big brother' to 2 Illinois sisters Teachers 'deeply concerned' about safety, education at Special School District "Profit and Punishment: How America Criminalizes the Poor in the Name of Justice"By Tony MessengerPublished by St. Martin’s Press, 272 pages, $28.99On sale Dec. 7 kAm%96 DE@CJE6==:?8 7C2>6H@C< @7 “!C@7:E 2?5 !F?:D9>6?E†:D 2 D<:==7F==J :?E6CH@G6? EC:AEJ49 @7 E9C66 D:?8=6 >@E96CD H9@ 92G6 6IA6C:6?465 A2:?7F==J D:>:=2C 7@C>D @7 :?;FDE:46] %9@F89 E96J =:G6 72C 7C@> @?6 2?@E96C W|:DD@FC:[ ~<=29@>2 2?5 $@FE9 r2C@=:?2X[ E96J 92G6 366? 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D6CG:46D 92D 564=:?65[ 7@C4:?8 AC:G2E:K2E:@? @7 46CE2:? 2DA64ED @7 E96 ;FDE:46 DJDE6> — 6G6? 4@FCE 4@DE 4@==64E:@?[ 7@C H9:49 4@==64E@CD C646:G6 2? 25565 A6C46?E286]k^Am Post-Dispatch columnist Tony Messenger Post-Dispatch kAm|6DD6?86C :D 42C67F= E@ 4:E6 2 C2?86 @7 :56@=@8:6D 2?5 D@4:2= A9:=@D@A9:6D 2D C6DA@?D:3=6 7@C 4C62E:?8 E96 A6EEJ 4C:>6 766D C24<6E] uC@> #6282?\6C2 2?E:\5CF8 A@=:4J E@ r=:?E@?’D q:56?\6?5@CD65 `hhc 4C:>6 3:== 2?5 `hhe H6=72C6 C67@C> 3:==[ E@ }6HE v:?8C:49’D “r@?EC24E (:E9 p>6C:42[†E@ >2?J &]$] DE2E6D’ 4@>>:E>6?E ?@E E@ C2:D6 E2I6D 5FC:?8 E96 `hh_D[ 7@C46D H@C<:?8 282:?DE E96 H6==\36:?8 @7 p>6C:42’D A@@C 92G6 56G6=@A65 24C@DD E96 A@=:E:42= DA64ECF>]k^Am kAm~?6 @7 E96 3@@<’D E9C66 DF3;64ED[ z6?5J z:==>2? @7 }@C>2?[ ~<=29@>2[ H2D 2CC6DE65 :? a__h H96? 2 A@=:46 @77:46C 7@F?5 2 8=2DD A:A6 “H9:49 D9@H65 D:8?D @7 FD6†:? 2 42C D96 H2D 3@CC@H:?8 7C@> 96C 6I\9FD32?5]k^Am kAmx? a_`a[ =@?8 27E6C 96C 2CC6DE[ :?42C46C2E:@? 2?5 C6=62D6[ D96 H2D “DE:== 86EE:?8 2 3:== 7@C 4@FCE 4@DED 7C@> r=6G6=2?5 r@F?EJ 7@C S`[``d]†xE EFC?D @FE[ |6DD6?86C HC:E6D[ 96C 7:?6D 2?5 766D “:?4C62D65 6G6CJ E:>6 D96 >:DD65 2 A2J>6?E[ 2?5 2 ?6H H2CC2?E 7@C 96C 2CC6DE H2D :DDF65]â€k^AmkAm“t249 E:>6[ z:==>2? 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DE2E6 3FC62F4C24:6D 96 A@CEC2JD 2C6 C6>:?:D46?E @7 “r2E49 aa]â€k^Am kAmqFE 7@C >:==:@?D @7 A@@C p>6C:42?D[ =:76 :? 2 DJDE6> 566A=J 3:2D65 282:?DE E96> :D ?@ 7:4E:@?] %96:C =:G6D 2C6 7F== @7 C62= 4@?D6BF6?46Di =@DD @7 7C665@>[ 4C65:E[ 49:=5 4FDE@5J[ :?4@>6 2?5 >@C6] &=E:>2E6=J[ DE2E6 4@FCED :>A@D6 2 <:?5 @7 H:56DAC625 :?56?EFC65 D6CG:EF56 E92E =@H\:?4@>6 A6@A=6 <?@H 2== E@@ H6==]k^Am kAm%9:D 3@@< 72==D :? =:?6 H:E9 p=6I2?5C2 }2E2A@77’D “!F?:D9>6?E (:E9@FE rC:>6†Wa_`hX 2D 2 >FDE\C625 7@C 2?J@?6 H9@ H2?ED 2 C62523=6[ H6==\5@4F>6?E65 42D6 7@C DE2E6 ;FDE:46 DJDE6> C67@C>]k^Am kAmp2C@? q6=K :D 2 $E] {@F:D A@6E 2?5 6DD2J:DE]k^Am Tony Messenger When • 7 p.m. Dec. 10Where • 51ºÚÁÏ County Library, 1640 South Lindbergh BoulevardHow much • FreeMore info • 314-994-3300; slcl.org 0 Comments Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Related to this story Messenger: Tornado survivor worked at Kentucky candle factory to pay off court debt Jailer who died hailed as hero. But why were jail detainees at factory in the first place? Messenger: The truth about Ted Cruz’s new favorite book, ‘The End of Policing’ Messenger: Republican senator sought to trash Supreme Court nominee, but the gambit backfired. Missouri outlaws jail debt turning into jail time, following action by Gov. Mike Parson The practice, which persisted in some local courts, was the subject of columns by Post-Dispatch columnist Tony Messenger. Messenger: Poor defendants in Dent, Caldwell counties join not-so-exclusive $10,000 club Judges in many rural counties in Missouri put defendants in jail if they can't afford to pay "rent" for their time behind bars.
Messenger: Tornado survivor worked at Kentucky candle factory to pay off court debt Jailer who died hailed as hero. But why were jail detainees at factory in the first place?
Messenger: The truth about Ted Cruz’s new favorite book, ‘The End of Policing’ Messenger: Republican senator sought to trash Supreme Court nominee, but the gambit backfired.Â
Missouri outlaws jail debt turning into jail time, following action by Gov. Mike Parson The practice, which persisted in some local courts, was the subject of columns by Post-Dispatch columnist Tony Messenger.
Messenger: Poor defendants in Dent, Caldwell counties join not-so-exclusive $10,000 club Judges in many rural counties in Missouri put defendants in jail if they can't afford to pay "rent" for their time behind bars.
